ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: how many Mcal does a competing endurance horse need..

Re: how many Mcal does a competing endurance horse need..

Duncan Fletcher (dfletche@gte.net)
Fri, 7 Feb 1997 22:08:29 -0800

If Susan and I have added to the confusion, the formula I gave in my
earlier post is NRC's "recommendation". The formula Susan gave is also
cited in the NRC book along with several others. The following note is
applied to that formula: "should not be used when the work load (kg x km)
is greater than 3,560, which was the largest experimental value used in
computing the equation. Therefore, the equation is is particularly
effective for horses performing intense work but not for horses performing
endurance work." For endurance, a more complex formula involving the use
of the natural log base e is given. Since most of you aren't interested in
doing that type of math, I am not reproducing it (Sorry Truman). As Susan
said, there are so many variables, and the horse's needs are so
individualistic that any theoretical number only gives you a starting point
for feeding. "The weight of the horse is in the eye of the master." -
Source unknown.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net

----------
> From: Susan F. Evans <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>
> To: Michael K Maul <mmaul@micro.ti.com>
> Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Re: how many Mcal does a competing endurance horse need..
> Date: Thursday, February 06, 1997 5:08 PM
>
> Michael K Maul wrote:
> >
> > i see several different views on the proper amount of Mcal for
> > the "average" competing endurance horse. i say average since there
> > certainly are individual differences.
> >
> > these views are fairly different. anyone have comments on which of
these
> > is appropriate?
> >
> > mike
> > mmaul@micro.ti.com
> > houston, tx
>
>
> Hi Mike,
>
> OK, you know I had to grab the nutrition question. According to NRC,
> the digestible energy required per day by a working horse is expressed
> by the formula:
>
> Mcal/day = 5.97 + 0.021W + 5.03X - (0.48X squared), where W equals the
> horse's body weight in kilograms, X = Z x kilometers x (10 to the
> negative third power) and Z = the weight of horse, rider and tack in
> kilograms.
>
> Even this is really an estimate, since terrain, weather, skill of the
> rider, the individual horse, etc. can all have an effect.
>
> However, for those that just want an answer, not a #$%&*! lecture in
> mathematics (except for Truman, who's probably eating this up), the
> general guidelines for a 400 kg (880 pound horse) are:
>
> Maintenance: 13.4 Mcal
> Light work: 16.8 Mcal
> Moderate work 20.1 Mcal
> Intense work 26.8 Mcal
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Susan Evans

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff